Abstract

Background

Birth weight is negatively associated with cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, but
the associations are less well-established in developing populations where birth weight
is often unavailable. We studied the association of birth weight and cardiovascular
risk, using birth rank as an instrumental variable, in Southern China.

Methods

We used published data on birth weight by birth rank from an appropriate population
and baseline data from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study phases 2 & 3 (2005-8) to
examine the adjusted associations, using instrumental variable analysis, of birth
weight with clinically measured cardiovascular risk factors and the metabolic syndrome
in older (≥ 50 years) men (n = 5,051) and women (n = 13,907).

Conclusion

Birth weight may impact blood pressure; however associations of birth weight with
other cardiovascular risk factors may not be related to foetal exposures, but speculatively
could be an historical co-incidence, with corresponding implications for prevention.